ART AS POLITICS. Our shared reality of pressing social problems and divisive politics as reflected in the work of 90+ national artists. NATIONAL JURIED SHOW

On display: August 5 - 25, 2016ART AS POLITICSOur shared reality of pressing social problems and divisive politics as reflected in the work of 90+ national artists.zJuror: Jayme McLellan, Director and Founder of Civilian Art Projects.Opening Reception: Friday, August 5, 6 - 8:30pm Gourmet Frozen Desserts by Moorenko's Ice Cream

Touchstone Gallery’s timely exhibition, ART AS POLITICS, uncovers the voices of artists from across the nation who want their outlooks to be heard along with the current players in the 2016 election cycle.

"The fact that there is a lot riding on this election is the understatement of the century.” says juror Jayme McLellan, “And the pressing--perhaps crushing--social problems plaguing the United States are brought to the forefront by the artists in this national juried exhibitionat Touchstone called ART AS POLITICS. Gun violence, immigration, border walls, climate change, homelessness, racism, #BlackLivesMatter, rape, women’s rights, net neutrality, the psychology of candidates and elected leaders including Hillary, The Donald, Bernie, Obama, and more– it’s all in here. “

McLellan selected 127 works from the several hundred submitted. It’s an all media show including wall pieces, video installations and sculpture. Artwork for the exhibition will be traveling to D.C. from California, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Maine, Ohio, Iowa and many other states. This exhibition brings together an exceptional group of artists.

“Art represents the time and epoch in which it was created,” McLellan continues. “And if artists are the antenna of the masses, this exhibition reveals much about our present moment. It contains a broad swath of talent and reflects a collective social consciousness that is telling and sometimes hard to endure. As a whole, the exhibition can produce anxiety, some is downright hard to look at, but there is also beauty in there, and hope. The show paints a picture of what it means to be in this melting pot of America right now. For better or worse, this is our shared reality. And as art gatherings build community, it is our chance to dialogue together as we move into the future.”

Touchstone’s August exhibits include both ART AS POLITICS in the main gallery and Touchstone Member’s Summer Sampler works in the Annex gallery. At the Opening Reception on August 5, 6 - 8:30pm prizes were awarded to three of the participating artists.

Touchstone Gallery was founded in 1976 by 30 artists and has become an institution in the D.C. arts community. The Gallery has earned a well-deserved reputation for showcasing a wide range of award-winning contemporary art, including painting, prints, sculpture, mixed media, and photography. Ksenia Grishkova, current Gallery Director, describes it as “an art space with a social conscience, concerned with the community beyond its walls, that is a defining part of its structure that sets the gallery apart from many of its peers”.